Many people have a difficult or important task that sits on their list for a long time. They know it needs to be done and can be done, but they let it sit on the list.
Inc. says this is not procrastination but cognitive overload, when your stress hormones take over and your brain goes into survival mode, reaching “for what feels familiar, and avoiding anything that feels threatening or overwhelming.” Cognitive load increases quickly when people are juggling emails, messages, files and meetings.
Inc. shares the following tips to help combat cognitive overload and get your brain out of survival mode.
- Fill up the mental gas tank. Take a short break every few hours and get a change of scenery to reduce the effects of digital fatigue, improving focus and concentration. High performance coach Tiffany Toombs Clevinger says: “Our bodies have something called an ultradian rhythm. Mentally, we can focus well for anywhere between one to two hours. Ninety minutes is kind of the sweet spot. Then we need a 20–30-minute break to refresh and come back with more clarity.”
- Reduce cognitive load before you try to work through it. Do not treat every email or task as equally urgent, which is a recipe for overwhelm. Acknowledging not everything will get done this week forces you to decide what the priorities are.
- Protect your best cognitive energy. Schedule cognitively demanding work for earlier in the day and week, when your mental energy is at its best. Push meetings and less demanding work until later in the day and week. Choose a few specific times during the day when you will check your inbox so you can remain focused the rest of the time.
- Choose one leveraged priority for the week. Ask yourself: “What can I accomplish this week that makes every future week easier?” When you take care of a leveraged priority, it lessens the difficulty for everything that comes after.
- Get started by “breaking the seal.” Clevinger says the “brain’s resistance to starting a difficult task is highest before you’ve made any progress,” so it can be difficult to get started. Commit to doing one small piece of the task. Once you take that first step and officially get things moving, you will feel less overwhelmed and intimidated.
